


rest

by Anonymous



Series: things better left unsaid [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, orochimaru's special form of parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:47:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27672908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: “It’s not that bad,” he croaked.Orochimaru gave him a mildly disappointed look, the same one he used when he found that Kakashi wasn’t eating enough or had run away when Sakumo had attempted to talk to him about feelings. It was worse than any injury he had suffered and the only thing Kakashi was actively fearful of.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Orochimaru, Hatake Sakumo/Orochimaru
Series: things better left unsaid [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020553
Comments: 9
Kudos: 265
Collections: Anonymous





	rest

**Author's Note:**

> sorta follow up to my [sakuoro](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656761)  
> (again, what timelines??)

Kakashi woke up to a dull white ceiling and the noise of machines in the background. He remembered fighting…someone before one of his teammates yelled something and he was knocked unconscious. Still half numb from the painkillers, he tried to move an arm but all that came out was a pained groan.

“One would think I had raised you better than this.”

Slowly, he turned his head to the side and braced himself for the scolding that was going to come. Kakashi hadn’t even sensed the other man’s presence in the room, which spoke volumes about his condition.

“It’s not that bad,” he croaked.

Orochimaru gave him a mildly disappointed look, the same one he used when he found that Kakashi wasn’t eating enough or had run away when Sakumo had attempted to talk to him about feelings. It was worse than any injury he had suffered and the only thing Kakashi was actively fearful of.

“You have multiple lacerations across your torso, the skin of your hand is peeling due to overuse of Chidori, there is a bump on the back of your head the size of Hokage Mountain and you’re chakra depleted. Need I go on, you ridiculous child?”

Kakashi winced and shook his head. Orochimaru only went off on tangents when he was well and truly pissed. Kakashi told his father that it happened only when either of them landed in the hospital. Sakumo had shuddered and mentioned something about accidentally disturbing an experiment.

“Tou-chan,” Kakashi said, pulling out his secret weapon. “I’m alive, I’ll be fine.”

Orochimaru sat up in the shitty hospital chair and pressed his hand to Kakashi’s cheek as if to reassure himself.

“That,” he said, sharply, “is not enough. Your father causes me enough grief when he comes back injured. But to see my son constantly teeter on the edge of death is too much for me. I know that you are a shinobi, but that is no reason to be reckless.”

And he was right. Kakashi had gotten a little cocky towards the end sure of his victory, and missed the fourth missing-nin that approached him from behind. He was from Suna and wielded a war fan almost as tall as Kakashi himself. At that point, Kakashi was already running on empty and would have probably died if not for his teammates. He leaned into Orochimaru’s hand and sighed as it moved towards his hair, scratching at his scalp gently. (The puppy jokes had never stopped once Kakashi realised how much he enjoyed having his head scratched. His father, horrible person that he was, found it adorable and made sure to shower his affections on Kakashi whenever they were both home.)

“Sorry, I’ll try to get hurt less often.”

The hand in his hair tugged.

“Don’t make promises you cannot keep. You are a jounin of the village, with every mission your life is on stake. Just. Don’t be reckless, little one. I can only take so much. You Hatake men have far too much honour and not enough consideration.”

Kakashi flinched at the offhand reminder of what had almost happened to his father. Orochimaru had been livid, and once he was convinced Sakumo would survive for a few hours without him, had stormed into the Hokage’s office and demanded a clarification. Orochimaru was used to nasty rumours and insults behind his back, but Konoha had another thing coming if they thought he would let his new family be ripped apart by its viciousness. His anger had led to an internal investigation, and subsequently an inquiry into Danzou. After that, things had unravelled so quickly that the village had more to gossip about than the supposed shame of Hatake Sakumo.

(Kakashi was so fiercely glad that his baby-self had somehow managed to find a new member and an unbeatable guardian for their small family. It could not prevent the tragedies that would unfold later on, but he had his fathers and for that he was eternally grateful.) 

“Does tou-san know?”

“That his idiot son managed to land up in the hospital with completely avoidable injuries?”

“Tou-chan!”

“Kashi-chan,” Orochimaru mocked him in the same whiney tone.

“I thought we were done with embarrassing nicknames,” Kakashi grumbled.

“We will be done with them when you stop reminding me of the need to use them. I’m going to leave you to get some rest. Your father will be by later with a lecture of his own.”

Kakashi let out a wordless whine, but let pale hands fuss over him and tuck him in. Orochimaru bent forward and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

“Rest well, my puppy.”


End file.
